Don't compare these two. If you want a ski aimed at using it for rails, that butters amazingly then get 09 or next years Thalls. Since they have been tested over the last season by many, you know for sure that you are getting a ski that will feel good after the 50th day. check this thread for more talk...

Afterbangs for sure man. I got my 177s about a month back. They are $360 and in stock almost everywhere online. (evogear, sierraskis, skis.com, etc.) 90% rails means your a jibber and afterbangs are rail specific skis.

Afterbang is such a gay name for a ski. It's typical big corporate suits trying to be cool by naming a ski the latest overblown slang. Be original. If you're a ski company you gotta be ahead of the curve, naming your ski the Afterbang pretty much says we're just trying to catch up with what's cool.